Calendar pad securement means



ec. 31, 1968 H. c. NORRIS 3,419,011

CALENDAR PAD SECUREMENT MEANS Filed Jan. 16, 1967 Sheet of 3 Smdawfimz) UaZgn-zan arms Dec. 31, 1968 H. c. NORRIS CALENDAR PAD SECUREMENT MEANS Sheet Filed Jan. 16. 1967 3 HC'uZe man Norms Dec. 31, 196% H. c. NORRIS 3,419,011

CALENDAR PAD SECUREMENT MEANS Filed Jan. 16, 1967 3,419,611 CALENDAR Ii-AD SECUREMENT MEANS Harrison Coleman Norris, Pewaukee, Wis, assignor to Columhian Industries, End, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Han. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,528 Claims. (Cl. 12923) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A calendar pad is secured to a plate-like base by means of a canopy having top, side and front walls. Posts extend rearwardly from the front wall portions of the canopy through holes in the calendar pad to support the latter. The canopy is cantilevered on the base by hooks projecting from its rear edge through the base, and is locked to the base by tabs fiatwise overlying the rear of the base and the rear ends of the posts and fastened to the posts.

This invention pertains to calendars and similar devices comprising a pad of individually detachable sheets of paper and means by which the pad is secured to a flat base or backing members so that the pad can be hung on a wall; and the invention relates more particularly to an inexpensive and attractive structure by which a calendar pad or the like can be secured to its base or backing member.

Heretofore the usual structure for securing a calendar pad to its base or backing member has comprised a pair of rivets extending through registering holes in the base and the pad, near the top of the latter, and a cutter strip overlying the upper marginal edge portion of the pad and held in place by the rivets. Because the relatively thin base was not adequate in itself to support the rivets against drooping the rivets had to confine the base and cutter strip in clamping relation to the calendar pad, so that they derived a certain amount of their support from the pad itself.

With this prior arrangement, sheets had to be torn off of the pad with an upward and forward motion whereby they would be engaged with the cutter strip, so that their upper marginal edge portions would remain in place beneath the cutter strip where they could continue to perform their rivet supporting function. However, the lower sheets on a relatively thick pad had to be torn off along the stubs of previously removed sheets, which did not provide a sufficiently sharp cutting edge to make a clean tear, with the result that the lower edges of the block of stubs presented a ragged and unsightly appearance after the pad had been in use for a time.

The present invention has for its general object to provide a very simple, inexpensive and attractive structure in the nature of a canopy for securing to a fiat base or backing member a pad of individually detachable sheets, such as a calendar pad, which canopy structure can be readily molded in one piece from plastic material and permits each sheet of the pad that it carries to be completely removed so that no ragged stubs are left to produce an unsightly appearance.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a canopy structure of the character described which is both less expensive and more attractive than the prior rivet and cutter strip structure and which can be very readily assembled to a base or backing member without the use of machinery or tools of any kind, so that with the canopy of this invention it is economically feasible to provide a rather elaborate base, intended to be used more or less continuously while only the pad is replaced from time to time as occasion requires.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides ice in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention, constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a Wall hung calendar having a pad of individually detachable sheets secured to a base or backing member by means of a canopy structure embodying the principles of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a disassembled perspective view of a canopy per se of this invention shown in relation to the upper portion of a calendar pad with which it cooperates;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary disassembled perspective view illustrating how the canopy of this invention can be assembled with a calendar pad and base or backing member;

FIGURE 4 is a rear perspective view of an assembled calendar incorporating the canopy of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 55 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 66 in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates generally a device of the type comprising a fiat base or backing member 6 and a pad 7 of individually removable sheets of paper, wherein a onepiece canopy 8 embodying the principles of this invention secures the pad 7 to the base 6 in such a manner that every sheet of the pad is individually and completely removable. By way of illustration the pad is herein shown and described as a calendar of the familiar kind having a separate sheet for each day of the year.

The base orbacking member 6 is generally conventional in that it is simply a flat, rectangular piece of relatively thick cardboard, fibreboard or the like, substantially wider and higher than the pad 7 so that it can carry suitable indicia of a more or less permanent nature. A hole 10 centered near the top of the base provides for hanging it on a small hook or the like on an upright wall, and the base also has certain other apertures which cooperate with the pad supporting structure or canopy 8 and which are described hereinafter.

The canopy 8 has a top wall 11 which projects forwardly from the flat front surface of the base when the canopy is assembled thereto and which overlies the upper edge of the pad. Projecting downwardly from the canopy top wall at the opposite sides thereof are a pair of side walls 14. The rear edge 15 of the canopy, comprising the rear edges of the top and side walls, is disposed in a single plane and abuts the front surface of the base when the device is assembled. Also projecting downwardly from the top wall, near the opposite ends of its front edge, are front wall portions 16, which are preferably connected with their adjacent side walls 14 and may be edgewise connected with one another by a narrow dependent strip 17 along the front edge of the top wall. It will be apparent that the connected top, front and side walls of the canopy cooperate to afford strength and rigidity to it.

Projecting rearwardly from each front wall portion 16 is a post 18 which is preferably integral with its front wall portion and which extends all the way back to the base in spaced, parallel relation to the top and side walls. The posts 18 are received in holes 19 in the pad, near its upper corners, to support the pad. While the posts 18 can be of any desired shape in cross section, it is preferred that each have a substantially sharp edge at its top, to facilitate tearing off individual leaves of the pad, and the diamond-shaped cross section illustrated in the accompanying drawings is well suited to this purpose. The rear end portion of each post comprises a short substantially cylindrical coaxial boss 20 which projects axially into a closely fitting hole 21 in the base and has its rear end substantially flush with the rear surface of the base, as best seen in FIGURE 5.

The canopy is secured to the base by means of a number of tongues 22 and 23 which project rearwardly from the rear edge of the canopy to be received in closely fitting slots 24 and 25 in the base, and by certain tabs 26 and lugs 27 which are connected to the rear ends of the tongues and which are adapted to flatwise overlie the rear surface of the base. In the present case there are four tongues on the canopy, all of them projecting edgewise rearwardly from its top wall, and they are arranged in an outer pair, the members 22 of which are adjacent to the side walls 14, and an inner pair 23.

Each of the lugs 27 is rigidly connected with its tongue 23 and projects upwardly therefrom to flatwise engage the rear surface of the base at a level above the canopy. It will be apparent that each of the lugs 27 cooperates with its tongue 23 to define an L-shaped base engaging bracket or hook that cooperates with the rear edge 15 of the canopy to cantilever the canopy from the base.

Each of the tabs 26 is hingedly connected to the rear of one of the outer tongues 22 and is adapted to overlie the rear surface of the base directly behind one of the posts 18 and to be secured to its post as described hereinafter.

The hinge connection between each of the tabs 26 and its tongue 22 can comprise a thin narrow strip 28 of the material of the canopy, integral with the tongue and its tab and thin enough to permit the tab to be flexed through about 180. Thus if the canopy is molded as a unit of a somewhat resilient plastic material such as polypropylone, as is preferred, the hinge, although inexpensive, can be repeatedly flexed without breaking. Note that the adjacent edges of the tongue 21 and tab 26 are beveled at an angle of about 45 beneath the hinge 28 so as to abut each other nicely when the tab is in its operative or assembled position wherein it projects downwardly from its tongue and extends across the rear end of its adjacent post.

On each tab 26 there is an integral tit 30. The tit projects from that surface of the tab which faces forward when the tab is in its operative position, and the tit is adapted to be received in a closely fitting rearwardly opening coaxial well in the boss portion 19 of its adjacent post. Such engagement of the tit 30 in the well in the post not only holds the tab in its operative position but also provides support for the rear end of the post.

Because the tab and its tit swing in an are about the hinge connection 28 as the tab is brought to and from its operative position, so that the tit is cocked out of coaxial relation to the well as it enters and leaves the same, the tit tends to resist axial displacement out of the well, and both insertion of the tit into the well and its withdrawal therefrom are effected with more or less of a snap action as the hinge connection, the tit and the post resiliently flex as necessary to accommodate the angles involved. To facilitate insertion of the tit into the well, the tip portion of the tit has a chamfer or bevel, as at 31, that accommodates the inclination of their axes as the tit initially enters the well.

The slots 24 and 25 in the base, in which the tongues 22 and 23 are respectively received, extend along a straight line parallel to the top and bottom edges of the base. Since the tabs 26 and lugs 27 must be passed through these slots before the tongues can enter them, the tabs must be capable of being swung to inoperative positions illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, in which the tabs project upwardly from their tongues in the same manner as the lugs, and in which the tabs and lugs are 4 substantially coplanar. With the tabs in this position, they can enter and pass through the slots substantially simultaneously with the lugs 26 during assembly of the canopy to the base. Note that each of the slots 24 is T-shaped, having a small bay 32 that accommodates the tit 30 as it is passed through the base.

With the tabs 26 projecting upwardly relative to the canopy, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, and with the posts 18 received in the holes 19 in a calendar pad, the canopy is brought toward the base with the upper surface of the canopy top wall 11 opposing and substantially parallel to the front surface of the base, and the tabs 26 and lugs 27 are inserted into the slots 24 and 25, respectively, in the base. When the top surface of the canopy top wall flatwise engages the base, the canopy is swung down through to its final position, bringing the tongues 22 and 23 into the slots 24 and 25 in the base and bringing the lugs 27 up into flatwise engagement with the rear surface of the base. The tabs 26 are then swung down to engage the tits 30 in the wells in the posts, completing the assembly of the canopy to the base. Should it be desired to remove the canopy from the base', as for installation of a new pad. the tabs are swung rearwardly to disengage the tits from the wells, and the reverse of the assembly procedure is followed.

From the foregoing description taken with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that this invention provides a simple, attractive and very inexpensive structure for securing a pad of calendar sheets or the like to a fiat base member in such a manner that the sheets are individually and completely detachable.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. Structure for securing a pad of paper sheets to a base having flat front and rear surfaces, with the pad flatwise overlying the front surface of the base and with its sheets individually detachable, said structure comprising:

(A) a canopy having (1) a top wall adapted to project forwardly from the front surface of a base and to extend over the top edge of a pad,

(2) side walls projecting downwardly from the top wall at opposite sides thereof and cooperating with the top wall to define a U-shaped coplanar rear edge on the canopy that is adapted to abuttingly engage the front surface of a base,

(3) a plurality of tongues projecting rearwardly from the rear edge of the canopy and receivable in closely fitting holes in a base, and

(4) front wall portions projecting downwardly from the top wall near the side walls;

(B) a pair of most members on the canopy projecting rearwardly from its front wall portions in spaced relation to its top and side walls, said post members being receivable in holes in a pad for holding the same;

(C) a pair of tab members, one for each of said post members, each of said tab members being hingedly connected to one of said tongues for swinging motion between an inoperative position in which the tab member can pass edgewise through a hole in a base in which its tongue is receivable and an operative position in which the tab member flatwise overlies the rear surface of a base and extends across the rear end of its post member; and

(D) cooperating fastening means on each of the post members and its tab member, engageable through a hole in the base to hold the tab member in its operative position wherein it cooperates with the rear edge of the canopy to confine the same against movement relative to the base.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein one of said tongues projects from the top wall of the canopy, further characterized by:

a lug substantially rigidly connected to said one tongue and projecting upwardly therefrom for flatwise overlying the rear surface of the base to cooperate with the rear edge of the canopy and said tab members in confining the canopy against movement relative to the base.

3. The structure of claim 1, further characterized by:

(A) the canopy, post members and tab members being formed integrally with one another from one piece of material, the hing'ed connections between each tab member and its tongue being provided by a substantially thin portion of the material; and

(B) said fastening means comprising a tit on one of said members receivable in a closely fitting aperture in the other of said members when the tab member is in its operative position.

4. Structure for securing a pad of paper sheets to a base having flat front and rear surfaces, with the pad flatwise overlying the front surface of the base and with its sheets individually detachable, said structure comprising:

(A) a canopy having (1) a top wall adapted to project forwardly from the front surface of a base and to extend over the top edge of a pad,

(2) means projecting downwardly from the top wall at the rear thereof defining coplanar rearwardly facing abutment surfaces at opposite sides of the top wall that are adapted to engage the front surface of a base,

(3) post supporting means projecting downwardly from the top wall near the front thereof, and

(4) a plurality of tongues projecting rearwardly behind the plane of said abutment surfaces to be receivable in closely fitting apertures in a base;

(B) a plurality of post members projecting rearwardly from said post supporting means substantially parallel to the top wall and one another and receivable in holes in a pad to support the same;

(C) a plurality of tab members, one for each post member, each of said tab members being hingedly connected to the rear of one of said tongues for swinging motion between a position in which the tab member can pass through the aperture in a base that is intended to receive its tongue and an operative position in which the tab member extends transversely across the rear of its post member and is adapted to overlie the rear surface of a base; and

(D) cooperating securement means on each post member and its tab member.

5. The structure of claim 4, further characterized by:

a substantially L-shaped hook projecting rearwardly and upwardly from the top wall of said canopy to have its base portion received in a closely fitting aperture in a base and its stem portion overlying the rear surface of the base and cooperating with said abutment surfaces to cantilever the canopy.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,036 9/1914 Stiewe 28125 1,153,543 9/1915 Eddy 28115 3,620,264 7/1966 McKowen 129-23 3,340,635 9/1967 McIntosh -l20 FOREIGN PATENTS 403,918 10/ 1924 Germany.

88 1915 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

